The ‘Fatehsagar Boat Accident’ highlights a deplorable state of safety protocols and rescue measures

Udaipur is one of the major tourist attractions of the country and lakes are the lifeline of this beautiful land, many tourists from around the world visits this city of lakes to have a glimpse of the serene lakes, the visit to this beautiful city gives unforgettable memories to cherish but this wasn’t the case for some tourists who travelled all the way from Jaipur to visit this city of lakes, they never knew that their fun ride in Fateh Sagar lake will prove such fatal, on 29th may 2017 7 tourists including 2 children from Jaipur hired a speed boat, In an unanticipated sudden accident at around 4:22 pm the speed boat banged into a 20 seater boat from back side and all the members of the speed boat got scattered into the lake water.The other members who were wearing life jacket got saved but a little 4 year old girl ‘Chehak’ got drowned into the water as she wasn’t wearing a proper life jacket. The situation got further distressing when the death body of the little ‘Chehak could not be recovered even after the continuous rescue operation, the body could only be recovered after approx 32 hours from the accident when it came floating to the lake shore and three youngsters spotted it.

This fatehsagar boat accident highlights the deplorable state of safety protocols and rescue operation, there are many questions that arise like how the speed boat and the normal boat are operating on the same route? Are the drivers adults and professionally trained? Why isn’t chehak wearing the life jacket? Do boat operators ensure that every tourist is wearing the life jacket or not? can’t there be a permanent deployment of a rescue team which monitors the safety of people at lakes and can immediate help to the victims.

The rescue operation in a lake took 32 hours, the expert divers are limited in number, the divers who were carrying out search operation didn’t have a diving suit, oxygen cylinder and other modern equipment which is a basic requirement at a water tourist spot though the divers tried hard still they failed because of lack of equipment.

The search operation in fatehsagar lake

The ignorance of safety norms and lack of monitoring by administration resulted in a huge loss in the form an angel of a family.The administration has woke up but at the price of the little ‘Chehak’, we just hope that the safety measures should be strengthened so that no such fatal casualty takes place in future.May God give strength to the bereaved family.